Nova State – Alcohol/Millionaire

Nova State launched their double A – side single this week with ‘Alcohol/Millionaire’. The whole thing was released in spectacular fashion at The Hope and Ruin on Thursday so if you missed out, you should be damn annoyed with yourself. The opening track ‘Millionaire’ tells of every rich kid’s struggle of being a millionaire, nothing to do, nothing to lose. Guitars sing and stumble at the start, bringing us into the song in a Kasabian ‘LSF’ esque fashion, it’s drunken, lethargic and swaying but it is pulled off, it gives the swagger before the coherence. One thing that Nova State can do fantastically well is build an abonimable sized chorus around a single word or phrase, something Britpop bands of the 90s did so well be it Oasis with the likes of ‘Live Forever’, Blur with ‘Parklife’ or the Happy Monday’s with ‘Hallelujah’. Nova State have the important element nailed and it’s crucial they cling to it. ‘Alcohol’ demonstrates this skill too but perhaps leaning it more on the grunge influences, vocals slur and guitars linger in the background in a scruffy, doggish manner, it’s testament to the title I’m sure. Fighting your demons, sedating and losing control. Alcohol. Just as the sound of the song appears, it’s swampy and pays tribute to the likes of Built To Spill, Pavement and Guided By Voices. It will be interesting to see where the sound of Nova State can go, perhaps a bit too much over production lies within this release which takes slightly from the swampy sound of ‘Alcohol’ for example, but it’s a solid first effort for this young band.